Pneumatic transmission-operating device.



G. M. RILEY.

PNEIINIAIIc TRANSMISSION OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT-29, lgl. l y 1,242,474. Patented Oct. 9,1917.

Witnesses Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE..

GEORGE4 M. RILEY, er AURORA, IEEINoIs.

PNEUMATIC TRANSMISSION-OPERATING: DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. a, 1917.

y Applicatien mea september 29,1916. serial No. 122,883.

To all whom t may concern.' Be it `known that I, GEORGE M. RILEY, a

citizen of fthe United States, residing' t Aurora, in the county ,of Kane and State o Illinois, have invented a new and useful.

Pneumaticl Transmission-Operating Device, of 'which the following is a; specificatlon.

The present inventlon appertains to devices for operating or controlling transmission gearing or .simple mechanism,and it is the object of the invention to provide a novelv pressurefluid for operating the pistons.

With the foregoing and other 'objects in view which will.zappear as the description proceeds, the invention resides'in the combination and arrangementof parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the vspirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is amedian section of the device, portions being illustrated in' elevation. y

Fig. 2 isan'enlarged `section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, there is illustrated a conventional transmission gearing, it being understood that the present device can be used for operating various transmission mechanisms, and the transmission gearing will be described briefly to assist in-the.

understanding of the utility of the present device. There is provided a suitable casing 1 for inclosing the transmission gears, and a driven shaft, journaled through one side of the casing 1 in alinement with a driving shaft 2 journaled through the opposite side of the casing. The transmission gearing as illustrated is for use uponfan automobile or motor vehicle, although it can be used elsewhere, for changing the speed of rotation of the driven shaft or element 2 with respect to the driving shaft or element 2. Gear Wheels 3 and 4 arefeathered upon the shaft 2, and

a gear wheel 5 is keyed "upon the shaft 2 I within the casing 1, the gear wheel 5 meshing with a gear 6 secured upon a counter shaft 7 journaled within the casing. The gear wheels 4 and 5 have cperating clutch hubs 8 whereby when the gear wheel 4 is moved adjacentto the .gear wheel 5, the shafts 2 and 2 will be connected directly to provide for high speed. A gear wheel 9 secured upon the shaft 7 is adapted to have the gear wheel 4 mesh therewith, the gear wheel bemg normally between the gear wheels 5 and v9, and when moved in one direction meshing with thegear wheel 9, and when movedin the other direction bringing the clutch hubs 8 into engagement'. The gear wheels 4 and 9 1n meshing provide for intermediate speed. A gear wheel 10 is also secured uponthe shaft 7 and a gear wheel 11 meshes with a gear wheel 12 upon said shaft, the gear Wheel 3 being normally between the gear wheels 10 and 11 and being adapted'to mesh with one or the other of them when shifted upon the shaft 2. .When the gear wheel 3 meshes with the gear wheel 10, this provides for low'speed, and when the gear wheel 3 is moved into mesh with the gear wheel 11,

l this provides for reverse speed.

T he present device embodies a cylinder 13 havmg one open end bolted or otherwise attached, as at 14, to one side of the casing 1,

said side of the casing providing a head for the respective end of the cylinder 13, and a head 15 is bolted to the other open end of the cylinder. A disk-shaped partition'l is fitted within the cylinder 13 between its ends, and bushings or sleeves 17 and 18 are pressed yfinto the cylinderand their adjacent ends'abut against the partition 16 to hold it in place. The other end-of the bushing 17 bears against the casing 1,' and the other end of the bushing 18 bears against the head 15, whereby the bushings and partition are held firmly in place between the ends of the cylindergland provide a double cylinder, since narrante each bushing or sleeve 17 and 18 provides a cylinder'in alinement with theother.

f A piston 19 is slidable within the bushing l 17 and has a tubular piston rod or stem 20 slidable through the respective side Wall o" the casing 1 and projectiiur into said casing,

a bracket 21 being secured upon the end of the stem 20. A second piston 22 is slidable ,within the bushing 18 and has a'piston rod or stem 23 passing slidably through the partition 16 and tubular stem 20. The stem 23 is mounted in the stem 20 and its end tits the brackets 21 and 25 are connected by the Yrespective swivel joints 26 and 27 with the gear wheels 4 and 3, `whereby said gear Wheels can rotate with respect to the brackets but are shifted longitudinally with the brackets when the stems 20 and 23 are slid. The pistons 19 and 22 are held in intermediate positions to hold the gear wheels 3 and 4 in intermediate positions. as seen in Fig. 1, and for this purpose,`spiral expansion springs 29 are disposed within the bushings.` 17 and 18 and have their smaller ends bearing againstppposite sides of the pistons and the larger Yends of the springs bear against the partition 16 and heads of the cylinder. rllhe tension between the springs of each pair is thus neutralized to hold the respective piston in intermediate L position.` rlhe brackets 21 and 25 are preferably secured upon the stems l2() and23', respectively, by the set screws 28, although other suitable means can be used. l

yAsa means for controlling the. flow of pressure fluid, which maybe steam, compressed air, or the like, the cylinder 13 is i formed with a transverse cylindrical valve l the closed end of the valve 35.

casing 30 between its ends and the ends of the valve casing are closed by the detachable heads or covers 3l andv 321 The cover 32 has a central port 33 communicating with the atmosphere and providing an exhaust,

port-for the pressure fluid. A bushing or sleeve 34 is pressed into the valve casing 30 and its ends abut against the covers 31 and 32. A cup-shaped valve 35 is fitted rotatably'in the bushing 34 and has its open end abutting the cover., 32 and its closed end abutting the cover 31, a second cup-shaped valve 36 being fitted rotatably within the outer valve 35 and having itsopen end abutting the cover 32 and its closed end abutting The valves are concentric and arranged to oscillatc relative to one another, and the open end of the inner valve 36 opens into the atmosphere by way of the exhaust port 33. A stem 37 is attached to thc closed end of the inner Ivalve 36 and projects through the closed end of the valve 35 and the cover31, being pro- 65 vided upon its outer end with a radial arml 38 for oscillating the valves. Said arrn 38 can be connected by any suitable means with a. hand lever, handleor other operating member (not shown) tor conveniently con- 7@ trolling the present device.. The valves 35 and 36 have limited oscillatory movements relative to one another, and for this purpose, the closed end ot the valve 35 has an `arcuate slot 39 and the closed end of the 7-5 valve 36 carries a pin 40 projecting into said slot.v

' rlhe valves 35 and 36 control the ldw of pressure iiuid to and from thefbushings or secondary `cylinders 17 and 18, and for this S0 purpose, the bushing 34 has an arcuate series of ports 41, 42, 43 and 44, the bushing 18 has ports 45 and 46 adjacent to its oppositeends, the bushing 17 has ports 47 and 48 adjacent to its opposite ends, and 85 the cylinder or cylinder casting 13 has passages 49, 50, 51 and 52 establishing Vcommunication between the ports 41, 42, 43 and 44 and ports 45, 46, 47 and 48, respectively.

rllhe ports 46 and 47 are arranged adjacent 90 to the partition 16 while the ports 45 and 448 are arranged adjacent to the remote -endsV `of the bushings .17 and 18. The valve 35 has a port 53 adapted to register in succes' sion with the ports 41, 42, 43 and 44, and

the periphery of said valve is provided with an arcuate groove 54 having/fitsk ends extending near Ibut terminating short of the port 53. `When the port 53 is in registration with one of the ports 41, 42, 43 and 44, the l0@ groove 54 is in registration with the other of said ports. The periphery of the inner valve 36 has a port 55 to register with the port 53 in the periphery of the valve 35.

When the pin or lug 40 is at one end of the 105i ing 30 is provided with a radial nipple 56 110 providing a pressure fluid inlet port registering with a port 57 with which the bushing 34 is provided in continuous communication with the groove 54. A pressure fluid supply pipe 58 is connected by a union or 115g other suitable connection with the nipple 56.l l

Supposing the port 53 to be between, the

ports 41 and .42, thev groove 54 will then register with all of the ports 41, 42, 43 and 44, whereby the pressureluidcan flow into the cylinder bushings 17 `an'd 18 at both ends thereof.l rlhus, pressure fluid can flow from the nipple 56 through the port 57 into the groove 54, and thence through the ports 41,

42, 43 and 44 into the passages49, 50,51 and 125 52, respectively, then flowing through thev ports 45, 46, 47 -and 48, respectively, into the opposite ends of the bushings 17 and l18.

with thevalve 36. The ports-53 and 55irst register with theport 42, which brings the port 46 into communication with the exhaustA x port 33, and the-pressure fluid between the l piston 22 'and partition 16 will be forced out to the atmosphere by the live'pressure fluid between the'piston 22 and cylinder head 15; Thus, pressure fluid can flow from between the piston 22 andl partition 16 by way of lthe, ort. 46, passage 50, port 42, port 53, chamerof valve 36, and port 33 to the atmosphere. At the same time, the groove 54 regyisters with the ports 41, 43 and 44'to supply pressure fluid in both ends of the bushing 17 and thel outer end of the bushing 18, so that the piston 22 will be moved to the right,

25 as seen/in Fig. '1., thus bringing the gear f wheel 3 4into mesh with the lgear wheel 10, toprovide first or llow speed. Then, by

turning the/valve 36 farther to bring the port 53' into communication with the port 43,the groove 54 is now brought into coml' munication with the port 42, so that the piston 22 will be returned to intermediate position, and the pressure fluid cannowliow Y to theatmosphere, from between the piston i 19 and partition 16 by Way of the port 47,

'passage 51, ports-43, v53 and 55, chamber'of valve 36' and port 33.v The groove 54 registering with the port 44'will still permit pressure fluid to flow into the bushing 17 by way '40 of the port :48, and this-will cause Athe piston -19 to be moved to the left, as seen in- Fig. -1, to bring the gear wheel 4intomesh with the gear lwheel 9, to lprovide' second ior 'intermediate speed. Should the lva-lve 136' be 45 turnedstill farther, the port 53 is brought into communication with the port 44, whereby the groove 54 is brought into communication with therport 43 to permit pressure fluid i to'llow between the piston 19 and partition V50 16 by way ofthe -port 47,'while the port 48 is brdught into communication with the atmosphere by way of the passage 52, ports .44, 53 and 55, chamber 'of valveA 36, `and -port 33. The piston 19 will therefore be moved 55 to the right, as seen-'in Fig-. 1, to move the clutch hubs Sinto engagement, to provide f' third or high speed. Then, by turningthe valve 36 in the opposite direction, clockwise as seen in Fig. 1, the pin 40 in moving in the slot 39 will permit the port 53 ,to-move out of registration with the port 55', and then when the pin 40 strikes the respective 'end of the slot 39, the valve 35 will be turned with the valve 36.' The valves can thusbe `said partition and tubular stem, and means turned to normal position to bring /the'port 65 '53 between the ports 41 and 42, and it'will be noted that' during this return movement of thev valves, the valve 36 closes the port 53,

,and prevents the exhaust of pressure fluid so that the pistons 19 and 22 remain sub- 70 st'antially in intermediate position. By turning the valve '36 properly, the ports 5,3 and 55 can be brought into registration with the port 41, to permit the preure fluid to exhaust from between the piston 22 and head 75 15, whereby the piston 22 will be moved to the left, as seen in Fig. 1, by pressure fluid flowing from the groove 54 through the port 46 between the piston 22 and partition16. The stem 23 will therefore be moved yto bring 80 the gearAwheel 3 into mesh with the .gear wheel 11, for providing a reverse speed.

It will be noted that ordinarily, the pressure Huid is admitted'into the opposite ends Y of the bushings or secondary cylinders 17 85 and 18, to equalize-the pressure on the opposite sides of the pistons, and the valves are operable for permitting pressure fluid to -discharge from vone side of one piston, so

that said piston follows the .discharge of 9@ pressure fluid, and operates the transmission gearing accordingly. The various speeds can be provided in succession', and there being pressure againstthe opposite sides of vthe pistons under normal conditions, the ein-'95 haust of pressure fluid from one side of one piston. will immediately bring it into operation for shifting the transmission-gearing. Having thus described the invention, what isclaimed as new is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a cylinder having heads, a partition within the cylinder between its ends, a piston working -within the cylinder between said partition andone head 'and havingja' tubular stem passing slidably@ through said head, a piston working in the cylinder between the partition and other head andv having. a stem projectingslidably through 'for controlling Vthe flow ofA pressure fluid j into and out ofthe cylinder atopposite s1des of said partition.

vl'2. A device of the character described comprising acylinder having heads, a parv tition' within the cylinder between its ends,

a piston working within the cylinder bef tween said partition and one head and hav-v ing a tibular stem passing slidably throu h, sa1d head, ai piston working in the cylin `er between the partition and other head. and

having a stem projecting slidably through said partition and 'tubular stem, spring means for holding each pistonfin intermei diate position-between the partitionand respective head, the cylinder having ports at its Vremote ends and ports adjacent to and at 'the'opposite sides of the partition, and

masacre means for controlling the flow of pressure tively to the valve for stopping the flow 65 fluid through said ports into and outof the cylinder.

3. A device of the character described embodying a cylinder having heads, a partition fitted in the cylinder between its ends, bushings fitted in the cylinder between the partition and heads, a piston slidable in one vbushing and having a tubular stem slidable through the respective head, a piston slidable in the other bushing and having its stem sliding through the partition and tubular stem, and meansfor controlling the flow ot1 pressure into and out of the bushings.

4. A device of the character described embodying a cylinder having heads, a partition fitted in the cylinder between itsvends, bushings fitted in the cylinder between the partition and heads, a piston slidable in one bushing and having a tubular stem slidable through the respective head, a piston slidable in the other bushing and having its stem sliding through the partition and tubular stem, expansion springs between each piston andthe partition and' respective head to hold the `piston vin intermediate position, the bushings having ports at their opposite ends, and means for controlling the flow lof pressure fluid through said ports.

5. A device of the character described embodying a cylinder, a piston working therein, means tending to move the piston to intermediate position, the cylinder having ports at opposite sides of the piston, and a valve ystructure having ports communicating with the aforesaid ports, a pressure fluid inlet port and an exhaust port,the valve structure having means when in one position for bringing both of the second mentioned ports into communication with one of the last two mentioned ports, andwhen in anotherposition, to bring one of the second mentioned ports into communication with the other of the twolast mentioned ports, the valve structure also having relatively movable parts, one to operatesaid valve structure and the other to stop the flow when the aforesaid part is moved in one direction.

6. A device of the character described embodyinga cylinder, a piston working therein, means tending to move the piston to intermediate position, and a' valveA structure having a pair of ports communicating with the cylinder at opposite vsides ofthe piston, an inlet port, an exhaust port, the valve structure having a valve provided with means forbringing one or both of saidpair of ports` into cornrnunicationwithl one of the two last mentioned ports, andthe valve having means'whereby when it is moved to cer- 'tain positions it can bring either of said pair t ports into communication with the other of the two.- last mentioned ports, and means 4coperable withf and movable rela-- when the valve is moved inone direction.

7. A device of the character described f to register with either or both of said pair` of ports, and a second valve having limited movement relative to the valve, the second valve when moved in one direction closing the port of the first mentioned valve and having a port to register with the port of the first mentioned valve when the second valve-'is moved in the other ldirection-to bring lthe port of the first mentioned `valve into communication with the other of the said two last lmentioned ports of the valve casing. p

8. A device of the character described embodying a cylinder, a piston working therein, means tending to move the iston to intermediate position, a valve casing having a pair of ports communicating with the cylmder at op'posite sides of the piston, an. inlet port and an exhaust port, an oscillatory valve within the valve casing having a port lto register with either of said pair of ports and an arcuate groove registering with one of the two last mentioned ports of the valve casing'and with either or both of said pair of ports, and a second Ioscillatory yvalve assembled with the first mentioned oscillatory valve and having a port communicating with the other of the two last mentioned ports of the valve casing, the second valve having limited movement relative to the first mentionedl valve to bring its port into and, out of registration with the port of the first mentioned valve. v

9. A device of; the character described first mentioned embodying a cylinder, a piston therein,

means tending to move the piston to intermediate posit1on,"a valve casing havin v pair of ports communicating with the cy inder at opposite sides ofthe piston, an inlet port, and an exhaust port, a cup-shaped valve mounted for'oscillation in the valve casing withits open end adjacent tothe exhaustport, said valve having a port to register with either of said pair of ports andanarcuate groove registering with the inlet port and adapted to register with either or both of' said pair of ports and a second cupshaped valve mounted for oscillation within the first mentioned valve with its closed end fitting the closed end of thefirst `mentioned valve and its open end communicating with the exhaust port, the second valve al-i having' limited oscillato v movementllela- .i.Inltestimony.'.ihoz- I elailnight-*t-gorego-i'ngA 'A v I tiveizothefrstjmentione valve andA having as my own, I', have .hereto axe'd my-s1gna.-f' 1`o a portj'adpted to move-into ahdj out of ture inthe presence oftw'o' witnesses,` registration with the port of the 'first men, 5.tioned valve and a stem ttached 'to the closed. end of the second valve and project-4 Witnesses: f v l ing through the closed end Vof the first m`en.y YJ.' M. HUNTER, tioned valve and valve casing. l' Ammn'r T. .Honmqra` GEORGE'M. Emy. 'I 'v 

